Category Archives: SF & Fantasy Art

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By John Hertz:
(reprinted from Vanamonde 1340) Vincent Di Fate has been named to the Society of Illustrators Hall
of Fame, recognized for “distinguished achievement in the art of
illustration…. based on [his] body of work and the impact it has made on the
field.” The induction ceremony will be on June 14, 2019. The Society, founded in 1901, has been
electing artists to its Hall of Fame since 1958. It and its Museum of Illustration have
quarters at 28 E. 63rd St., New York, NY 10065.

Di
Fate has long been one of our very finest pro artists. He won the Hugo Award for Best Pro Artist in
1979 (13-time finalist to date). He was
Artist Guest of Honor at Magicon, the 50th World Science Fiction Convention
(1992).

In an extraordinary pair of abilities he is also one of our very
finest writers about art. His survey Infinite Worlds (1997) remains indispensable: a hundred-page historical
perspective; a two-hundred-page examination of a hundred leading artists; seven
hundred excellent images; acute, clear, distinct text. It won Best Art Book in the 1998 Locus Poll;
it may have inspired his 1998 Chesley Award for Artistic Achievement (7-time
finalist to date). For his own graphics
see The Science Fiction Art of Vincent Di
Fate (2002).

A note by me about Infinite Worlds is here. His covers, interiors, sketches, obituaries (not only for Chesley Bonestell and Ed Emshwiller, but also Orson Welles and Danny Kaye), letters, essays, are indexed here.

On a personal note, when Kelly Freas died I was writing for Science Fiction Chronicle and had the honor and pleasure of editing Di Fate’s appreciation (Mar 2005 issue).

Di Fate was commissioned by NASA
in 1985 to create the official painting of the International Space Station, on
display since its completion at the Kennedy Space Center (Florida). He is a full professor at the Fashion
Institute of Technology (State Univ. N.Y.) in New York City; a Life Member and
past president (1995-1997) of the Society of Illustrators; he is a founding
member and was first president of the Association of Science Fiction and
Fantasy Artists (ASFA). His Website is headed Science – Art – Imagination.

With three 2018 Analog
interior illustrations he is eligible for the Pro Artist Hugo this year: the
Mar-Apr issue for “The Spires” (A. Nevala-Lee), Jul-Aug for “Potosi” (J.
Pitkin), Nov-Dec for “Learning the Ropes” (T. Jolly). Don’t neglect interiors. Don’t neglect monochrome. Am I suggesting that three drawings could
outweigh so much else they’re worth your nomination and perhaps your vote? Of course they could. You decide.

By JJ: Grim Oak Press and editor Shawn Speakman produce the Unfettered anthologies and other special editions – part of the proceeds of which is used to help pay medical fees for authors and artists in need:

Unfettered: Lacking health insurance and diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2011, Shawn quickly accrued a massive medical debt that he did not have the ability to pay. That’s when New York Times best-selling author Terry Brooks offered to donate a short story Shawn could sell toward alleviating those bills – and suggested Shawn ask the same of his other friends.

The first Unfettered anthology was the result, an anthology unfettered by story theme restrictions, featuring short fiction works by some of the best fantasy writers in the genre – many of which were set in those authors’ popular series universes. It paid off more than $200,000 in medical bills.

Unfettered II: In an effort to pay forward the aid he received – and to memorialize his mother who passed away from stomach cancer in early 2016 – Speakman again collaborated with celebrated genre authors to publish Unfettered II. All proceeds from the anthology went to help eliminate medical debt for other authors or be donated to cancer research hubs around the world.

To date, the project has given approximately $24,000 from Unfettered and Unfettered II, two large donations to two fantasy authors in need of funds for medical debt and hospice care and around $10,000 in donations to cancer research. Once the applied-for 501c3 charitable organization status is approved, they will be able to disburse more funds to needy authors and artists, without having to pay taxes on them.

The list of authors to be included in Unfettered III is full of well-known names, and the book will be available as a hardcover ARC signed by at least six contributors (250 copies only, available January 15), a trade hardcover and an ebook (both available March 19), and a numbered hardcover edition signed by all contributors (available May 14). Preorders can be made now from the link below.

As some of you know, during the revision process of A Memory of Light, two lengthy sections ended up on the cutting room floor. The first, which we titled River of Souls, was included in the first Unfettered Anthology. The second, I assumed, would never see the light of day.

However, Grim Oak Press (and Shawn Speakman, who runs it) has continued the Unfettered anthologies – the income of which is used to help pay medical fees for authors and artists in need. I thought the arrival of the third anthology would be a great chance to use this other deleted scene. (Which involves Perrin traveling into the Ways.) Harriet has graciously agreed to let it be published, so I’m thrilled to be able to announce its inclusion in the anthology.

I’ve long been fond of this sequence, and it was quite difficult to cut from the book. (In the anthology itself, I’ll explain why we eventually decided that the sequence needed to go.)

The earlier Unfettered anthologies are still available in trade, e-book, and special editions; the first one has been reissued in a second edition which features a new cover and contains an extra story. Purchasing any of these anthologies directly from the Grim Oak Press site allows more of the money to go to the charitable fund – however, Speakman is happy for readers to purchase at any of the usual retail sites.

Unfettered launched Grim Oak Press, a brand new SF&F publishing press with the big dream of helping others. It has grown ever since. After five years, Grim Oak Press spawned the non-profit Grim Oak Shield, both businesses working hand-in-hand to defeat medical debt for authors and artists in need. Such notable authors as Terry Brooks, Naomi Novik, Jacqueline Carey, Stephen R. Donaldson, Raymond E. Feist, and Janny Wurts support that mission and in 2018 Grim Oak Press will publish beautiful, limited editions of their books.

Each project we take on has its own life and style. We try to match the best artists in SF&F with the story to make a perfect match. We work directly with the authors and artists, giving them a creative freedom to re-envision their worlds like never before. New wrap around cover art, new interiors, and full color foldouts make these books extremely unique.

We also use the best materials around. Each book is printed on extremely high quality paper, cloth bound and leather wrapped, making them feel just as good in your hands as they look on your shelves. Details in the design and layout, sewn in ribbons, cover stamps, and many other fine touches are how we separate ourselves from other small publishing presses.

It is a magical time for those who love SF&F. Thank you to all who purchase books from Grim Oak Press. We will continue producing them as long as you enjoy placing them on your shelves.

By JJ: To assist Hugo nominators, this post provides information on the artists and designers of more than 560 works which appeared in a professional publication in the field of science fiction or fantasy for the first time in 2018.

These credits have been accumulated during the course of the year, from copyright pages, Acknowledgments sections, and public posts by artists, authors, and publishers, as well as other sources on the internet.

In this post I will display up to 12 images of artworks for each artist for whom I have identified 4 or more works which appeared in a professional publication in the field of science fiction or fantasy for the first time in 2018.

Professional Artist

3.3.12: Best Professional Artist. An illustrator whose work has appeared in a professional publication in the field of science fiction or fantasy during the previous calendar year.

3.2.11: A Professional Publication is one which meets at least one of the following two criteria:
(1) it provided at least a quarter the income of any one person or,
(2) was owned or published by any entity which provided at least a quarter the income of any of its staff and/or owner.

3.10.2: In the Best Professional Artist category, the acceptance should include citations of at least three (3) works first published in the eligible year.

Under the current rules, artwork for semiprozines and fanzines is not eligible in this category. You can check whether a publication is a prozine or a semiprozine in this directory (the semiprozine list is at the top of the page, and the prozine directory is at the bottom).

Please be sure to check the spreadsheet first; but then, if you are able to confirm credits missing 2018-original works and the names of their artists from Acknowledgments sections, copyright pages, or by contacting authors and/or artists, go ahead and add them in comments, and I will get them included in the spreadsheet, and if the artist is credited with at least 4 works, in this post. If you have questions or corrections, please add those also. Please note that works may or may not be added to the list at my discretion.

PLEASE DON’T ADD GUESSES.

Artists, Authors, Editors and Publishers are welcome to post in comments here, or to send their lists to jjfile770 [at] gmail [dot] com.

By John King Tarpinian: October 20 was the opening reception for the art exhibition of this match-up honoring the 200th anniversary of Frankenstein and the 150th anniversary of Little Women, two well-loved novels by two groundbreaking female authors.

The city of South Pasadena, CA had a lot going on this evening. They had an art-walk, with local artists hawking their wares. An Octoberfest, with an Oompa band, was happening. Their historic Rialto theater was doing a fundraiser screening of the original Ghostbusters. All of this within a few blocks of each other.

Fantastic art can be subtle or obvious, traditional or off-the-wall, painted, sculpted, done digitally or photographed: There is no unacceptable way to create art, and there are no set rules that say one piece qualifies while another does not. Imagination and skill are what matters.

Work chosen by the jury will be printed in full color in the Spectrum annual, the peer-selected “best of the year” collection for the fantastic arts. Click here to submit.

The Spectrum 26 jury is a five member panel of some of the most exceptional artists working in the industry today consisting of Kei Acedera, Wesley Burt, Bobby Chiu, Edward Kinsella III, and Colin and Kristine Poole. Find out more about the Spectrum 26 jury here.

“It is an honor to assemble such a prestigious group of artists for the Spectrum 26 jury,” shares publisher John Fleskes. “I greatly admire the art that these six individuals have created during their careers. I also have a high regard for the educational opportunities that they have provided to others while giving back to the community. I look forward to bringing them together to view the call for entries submissions in February 2019.”

The Spectrum 26 Call for Entries Poster was created by renowned artist, Tyler Jacobson.

WHEN: The 2018 Hugo Awards Ceremony begins Sunday, August 19, 2018 at 8:00 p.m. North American Pacific Daylight Time (UTC-7). Master of Ceremonies will be Artist Guest of Honor John Picacio.

WHERE: McEnery Convention Center Grand Ballroom in San Jose, California. The Ceremony will also be simultaneously shown in Callahan’s Place in the Exhibit Hall in a more relaxed environment where attendees can eat, drink, and socialize during the event.

The “Life of a Modern Day Sculptor: Christopher Slatoff” event at the Pasadena Museum of History on July 24 featured a conversation between artist Chuck Kovacic and Christopher Slatoff, creator of the Bradbury-inspired Father Electrico sculpture.

Once famous for traveling the world to make sculptures out of sand, Slatoff is now known for his impressive body of work cast in bronze. Hear how Slatoff became friends with legendary author Ray Bradbury and how that friendship inspired The Illustrated Man, one of the sculptor’s favorite works. (The maquette of this work is currently on view at PMH.) A short documentary, Father Electrico: Ray Bradbury Lives Forever by John Sasser, will be shown about the creation of this sculpture.

Mockup given to Ray

Sculpture: The Father Electrico.sculpture is available exclusively through American Legacy Fine Arts.

…is a documentary film based on the creation of a sculpture which was a collaboration between author Ray Bradbury and sculptor Christopher Slatoff. The frontal view of the finished sculpture depicts a father carrying his son. Turn the sculpture around and the image of the father is in reality Bradbury’s “Illustrated Man,” a character taken from his classic story collection about a tattooed man.

John Sasser, documentarian

[Thanks to John King Tarpinian for the story and the photos of the speakers.]

Venom is returning to the big screen for the first time in 11 years this October, when Sony unveils their solo movie based on the antihero starring Tom Hardy as the symbiote-stricken Eddie Brock. While that’s cause to celebrate, unfortunately it doesn’t look like we’ll see Venom face off against his nemesis any time soon, due to Spider-Man having returned to the arms of Marvel Studios.

However, there’s nothing stopping fans from whipping up some inspired artwork which gives us an idea as to what a battle between Tom Hardy’s Venom and Tom Holland’s Spidey could look like. Case in point: this new piece seen in the gallery down below, which paints a picture of the villain totally besting the wall-crawler in a fight. As you can see, Peter Parker lies senseless in a pile of rubble while his enemy cuts a sinister figure as he lingers over him.

Twitter user UberKryptonian recently had a minute to kill and decided to spend those waning seconds creating a Fantastic Four character poster, in which he envisioned none other than Krasinski as Mr. Fantastic himself, Reed Richards. You can check out the clever bit of fan casting below, which follows on from several other pieces put forth by various different artists (also included in the gallery).

Coming from digital artist ultraraw26 on Instagram is a mock-up poster for Avengers 4 imagining what a team-up between Iron Man and Carol Danvers might look like. Considering the Q-Ship in the background, not to mention both heroes appear to be in outer space, it looks like the battle is set on Titan, Thanos’ home-planet. Interestingly, however, the Mad Titan cannot be seen in the frame, nonetheless, the prospect of seeing the aforementioned heroes banding together to fight a common foe is exciting for fans. Check it out below:

The urban legend of Zack Snyder’s cut of Justice Leaguegrows even bigger today with yet another string of previously unseen concept art. Featured in the gallery down below, it depicts the could-have-been third act of Snyder’s version of the movie, and from what we can see here, he apparently planned for an epic, sky-based skirmish, a more Kirby-esque Steppenwolf, a larger role for Aquaman and, of course, a darker color palate than what we got in theaters.

The photos themselves are impressive and will certainly embolden fans who’ve been rallying for an official release of Synder’s version of the film.

I created the original Space Babe—a kick-ass gal with a raygun—decades ago. But more recently, I realized that the original Space Babe is not alone and began to create many Space Babes, all ready to fight for the rights of all. With colored pencils, readers can reimagine the future with images of gender-fluid space babes, young space-babes-in training, explorers, activists, construction workers, bakers, athletes, intergalactic pirates, a woman POTUS, and other Space Babes of different shapes, ethnicities, jobs & attitudes.

Space Babe is a symbol of the James Tiptree Jr., Award, a literary award presented annually to a work of speculative fiction that explores and expands gender roles. Their mission: “Changing the world.”

All income earned from sales of the coloring book go to the Tiptree Award.